Advice for Writers

Here's a bit of sound advice for beginning writers:

1) Study the language in which you write, whether English or not.
2) As a general rule, don't write exactly the way you speak---most of us don't speak our language correctly!
3) Learn the rules of punctuation and grammar, and don't depend on your memory!
4) Also, don't depend on "spell-check"---ie: two, too, and to are all spelled correctly, but which form is the one you want?
5) Double and triple check your ms. for errors. Unfortunately, no matter how many times you check or how well you check, mistakes do manage to slip by!
6) Make sure no words have accidentally been omitted.
7) If the names of your characters, places, etc. are unpronounceable or draw snickers from your first reader, change them!
8) Check the meaning of words with your dictionary or thesaurus; it's not only embarrassing to use the wrong word, but it may also make your work laughable.
9) Make perfectly clear to what or to whom your pronouns refer. This error can be downright, head-scratching confusing!
10) Remember: "that" and "which" should not be used interchangeably ( admittedly one of my most frequent faults! )
11) Analyze your story to make sure the plot makes perfect sense, and not only to you! Is it told in an intelligible order? Have you made errors in continuity? Does each "scene" serve a purpose and advance the plot or is it unnesscessary?

In conclusion ( yay! ), I highly recommend turning your precious ms. over to an impartial first reader for a totally honest critique. To quote my first reader of a rough draft of Judgment on Tartarus: "This fight scene sounds more like they're dancing!" Alas, that was all too true!

Instead of getting your hackles up or bursting into tears, go to work to remedy your weaknesses. That's the only way to improve; that's how you become a darn good writer.

Take it from someone who is still learning every day,

MRTighe